A. In this passage we find a description of Christianity or what constitutes a Christian. A Christian is someone who is “IN CHRIST” or as Paul says in Colossians 1:27, Christianity is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Christ in us, or us in Christ, this is Christianity and a Christian and if we are in Christ, we are a new creation.
B. How is Christ in us? How are we in Christ? Paul writes, “He that is joined to the Lord is ONE SPIRIT (with Him.)” (I Corinthians 6:17) Salvation takes place when the LORD joins us to Himself and He makes us ONE SPIRIT with HIMSELF. Paul elsewhere describes this joining as being, “baptized into Christ.” (see Romans 6:3-5) He says we are PLANTED into His death, and thus, His resurrection. Christ is in us through the joined of our human spirit to Himself through His Spirit.
C. An essential to see about this joining is that we are not generally given THINGS from the LORD aside from, or added to, Christ. For example, we are not given a THING called “salvation” because of Christ. Oh no. We are given all things IN CHRIST. We are joined to Jesus Christ Himself, IN WHOM there is all life. Much difficulty in the Christian life arises from trying to get things from God instead of receiving and living out from the Christ in whom are all things.
D. God has wrapped up ALL THINGS in His Son, and He has freely given all things IN HIM. (Romans. 8:32) Thus, there is nothing that God has for us except it be found in His Son. So, we cannot receive the THINGS of God except we receive the Christ in whom are all things. The fact that God is sometimes merciful to bless people aside from what is in Christ does not diminish this overall Truth.
E. Now what this ought to tell us is that if we are joined to the LORD, we have in Christ all that God has, indeed, all that God is. The goal, at that this point, is not to receive MORE from God or other THINGS and it is not to obtain more experiences. Oh no. The purpose of God once we are saved is that Christ be formed in us (Galatians 4:19) and that we be formed together with Him. (Romans. 8:29) If that is happening, then all that is IN Christ will likewise come into our experience. Christian growth or sanctification is never the result of getting more of Christ. Rather, it is a matter of the Christ we have already received being made manifest in and through us:
F. Paul writes, “That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the LORD.” (l Corinthians 1:29-31)
G. This brings us back to our passage from II Corinthians. 5:17. You will note that it is our joining to the LORD that makes us a new creation. You will also note that everything that is of the new creation is, well -- NEW. And just as importantly, all of this newness that constitutes the new creation comes FROM God. Again, the Greek actually reads, “and all things (that constitute the new creation) are OUT FROM GOD.
H. So, what we have is this: When we are joined to the LORD and become one with Him in spirit, what is birthed is a new creation in Christ Jesus. We become one with Christ in both His death and His resurrection, old things are passed away through His death and all things have become new. Note that we do not bring anything new into this relationship. Christ brings all and IS ALL, to us in this spiritual joining. That is why Paul says, “ALL THINGS ARE FROM OUT OF GOD.” In contrast, nothing new is from OUT OF US.
I. A Christian is one who has been joined to the LORD made one with Him, and thus, has received all that Christ IS, and all that Christ has done. Despite the fact that it will take a lifetime and more for Christ to be unfolded and experienced, it still does not negate the fact that we have already received all things freely in Christ. Our joining to the LORD not only births a new creature, but immediately negates the old. All that we are in Adam, the natural and the flesh, the old Adam life is now under the work of the Cross. It has no place in the new creature. It is passing away.
J. Notice that a Christian is not one who is made to LOOK LIKE JESUS or merely ACT like Jesus by following certain principles. Oh no. That is not sanctification. Rather, a Christian is one who is joined to the LORD and THROUGH WHOM Jesus Himself wants to live. When Paul said, “Christ, who is our life,” (Colossians 3:4) he was pointing to the fact not that Christ has given us a life to live for Him, but that HE IS OUR LIFE and wants to live in and through us.
K. God is not making Christians into little Xerox copies of Jesus. Rather, He wants each of us to manifest through us the Christ who dwells in us and to be living evidence of the fact that we are joined to Him.
